An offer now circulating on the Internet is offering Portuguese passports for US$2,000. Chris KALIN says: "... it's one of those where you send an advance payment and nothing happens afterwards. To learn more about legal ways to acquire alternative residency and citizenship,

BRUSSELS. The EU denies a report from human rights group STATEWATCH that in response to US pressure, it plans to make telecommunications companies and Internet service providers store records of private e-mails, faxes and phone calls for two years.

WASHINGTON, D.C. The International Monetary Fund recently gave Brazil a US$30 billion loan last week, paid for by taxpayers in IMF member countries, despite the spectacular collapse of Argentina's economy after a huge bailout in 2001.